Female Ascetics--A Look Through Puranic Glasses

I wrote this many years ago, but it still seems current. My favorite line continues to be: "Never despise a woman even if she is despicable. " --Satya

As devotees, we are aware of why this world that we live in was created. We are clear about what we need to do while we are here. We know what we need to do to go back home, back to Godhead. But somehow, when we start to talk about what we need to do as men or women, these things seem to get mixed up.

As women, we have the duty of taking care of children and husbands, in addition to ourselves. We support them physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We have heard many times that a woman should always be protected by a man throughout her life: by her father in childhood, by her husband as a wife, and by her son in old age.

We have wonderful images and stories in our sampradaya of women in all these stages of life. Of young girls, we have the stories of Srimati Radharani and the Gopis. As married women and mothers, we have Srimati Rukmini, Satyabhama, Mother Yasoda, Draupadi, Kunti devi, Gandhari, and many others. As widows, we have the stories of Krsna's wives after He left the planet, the images of the wives of fallen warriors after the battle of Kurukshetra, or of Vishnupriya with her severe austerities. These women were courageous, faithful, austere, and had Krsna firmly in their hearts and minds. The images of these women nourish us and fill us with a similar kind of courage and faith, and help us to keep Krsna in our hearts and minds.

Imagery is very important in our lives. We need the forms, the stories, to fill an otherwise arid life. These stories permeate our lives and honor a range of values that are central to a woman's spiritual quest. They affirm our being as females, as devotees. This imagery has the power to liberate and reawaken parts of ourselves.

The topic of this paper is female ascetics. Women practice austerities through all stages of their lives. As Vaisnavas, we (men and women) observe fasting on ekadasi and certain holy days, we chant rounds on our japa beads, and we follow regulative principles. We behave in a caring way to all living entities. We are renunciates.

In India, additional austerities are very familiar in the lives of women. Vows are taken by very young girls for a good husband, by married women (as a pativrata) for the welfare and protection of their husband and families, and by widowed women for the continued protection of their families and departed husband. Saubhagya (good fortune or marital happiness), a transferable quality, is engendered and maintained through these vows by women for the continued sustenance of their families.

Srila Prabhupada wanted us to become Krsna conscious—to be conscious of Krsna at all times of the day and night, to serve Krsna, to love Krsna, and offer everything to Him. Through our daily activities, as his female disciples, we are trying to do that.

With all these topics in mind, I'd like to take you on a short journey. It’s part of my personal journey, but it could very well be the journey of other women in this audience or within other parts of the world. This model of being protected at all stages of life by a man has not been one that has fit me very well. My father left our family when I was three years old, I'm divorced now after being married for thirteen years, and have a grown daughter. No father, husband, or son is there to protect me. My attempts to fulfill this model in my life have only left me frustrated. Other attempts to create alternatives were also frustrating. I wondered what other women in our tradition had done. Were there stories of women who had chosen not to be married, of women who lived alone, or who were somehow outside of this model? I decided to look to the Puranas, the Mahabharata, and the Ramayana to see if I could find images and stories of other women that might be supportive, encouraging, or enlivening.

With a little digging, I found some stories that have been inspirational to me. I‘ve arranged the stories of these seven women into two groups—ascetic maidens or young ascetics who were unmarried, and then older female ascetics. In these stories, there are examples of women who rejected the role of wife and accepted the life of personal renunciation. Some were protected by sages and gurus in ashrama settings, and some lived or wandered about on their own. With some of the ladies, we see more of their life stories, but with some, we only have brief vignettes. I'd like to share them with you now without too much analysis.

In the Mahabharata, Madhavi, the daughter of King Yayati, was given a boon that after giving birth to a child she would become a virgin again. Galava, a disciple of Vishvamitra, approached her father King Yayati for his help in obtaining special horses for his guru. King Yayati, who was once wealthy, was not able to help, but offered his maiden daughter, Madhavi, instead. Galava took Madhavi to three different kings with the offer that Madhavi would "provide" sons for them in exchange for the needed horses. After Galava had obtained the horses he needed, he then took Madhavi back to her father. King Yayati organized a svayamvara for her at a hermitage near the confluence of the Ganges and Jamuna.

There was a gathering there of Snakes, Yakshas, men, birds, and deer, and the denizens of the mountains, trees, and woods. The forest teemed with the princes of diverse peoples and countries, and it was filled everywhere with Brahma-like seers. But when all the suitors were announced, the fair-complexioned woman passed by all of them and chose the forest as her bridegroom. Madhavi descended from the chariot, bowed to her relatives, then went to the holy forest and practiced austerities. (van Buitenen, v.3, p. 410 411)

In the Ramayana, we have Somada, the virgin daughter of the nymph Urmila. In an ashrama, Somada cared for and ministered to the muni Chuli. She attended the great sage for a long time with undeviating faith and devotion. Her Guru was very pleased with her and offered to fulfill some desire of hers. She responded, 'O King of Kings, I desire to bear a son, resplendent with divine power, a worshiper of God and devoted to dharma. I have no husband, nor do I wish to be the wife of any, as I am a brahmacharini; therefore, by virtue of your Yoga, grant me a son produced by the power of your thought.' The divine sage was pleased to hear these words and granted her a son named Brahmadatta, by the power of her mind. Brahmadatta became King of Kampila and was as prosperous as Indra in heaven. (Shastri, v. 1, p. 70)

Then there’s the story of Vedavati of the Ramayana. In the Himalayan Forest, Ravana beheld a young girl, radiant as a goddess, wearing a black antelope skin and matted locks, leading the life of an ascetic. Seeing the youthful and lovely girl who was given over to austere practices, he was overcome by desire and inquired of her why she had adopted a life of mortifications ill fitted to her years.

The young girl, radiant with beauty and rich in ascetic practices, having offered him the traditional hospitality, replied that many had approached her father for her hand but her father had chosen Vishnu to be her husband and would not permit her to marry any other. She was undergoing these severe mortifications to fulfill his will.

Ravana tried to dissuade her from her resolve and invited her to be his consort in Lanka, slighting Vishnu in the process. Vedavati was offended and Ravana seized hold of her hair. In indignation, Vedavati cut off her hair with her hand, which had been transformed, into a sword. Burning with anger she kindled a fire to give up her life and said before she left, 'Soiled by your contact, O Vile Rakshasa, I do not desire to live and shall throw myself into the fire before your eyes. Since you have affronted me in the forest, I shall be reborn for your destruction. It is not possible for a woman to slay an evil man and, if I curse you, my penances will be rendered void; if however, I have ever given anything in charity or offered any sacrifice, may I be of immaculate birth and the noble daughter of a virtuous man.'

So speaking, she threw herself into the fire that she had ignited, and straightway a rain of flowers fell.

Vedavati is the daughter of Janaka and the consort of Rama. First she was born as Vedavati and then she was reborn in the family of the magnanimous Janaka as Sita for the destruction of Ravana. (Shastri, v. 3, 420-422)

Sulabha, another ascetic of the Mahabharata, was the daughter of Rsi Pradhana. In the sacrifices of her ancestors, Indra used to come with Drona and others. No suitable husband could be obtained for her, and so she wandered over the earth alone, observing the practices of asceticism. Bhishma related this story in the Mahabharata between King Janaka (the father of Sita devi) and the female mendicant Sulabha. By her yogic power, Sulabha assumed a beautiful form and instantly went to Mithila, and, on pretense of begging alms, presented herself before the King, who was surrounded by his ministers and learned scholars. By yoga, she entered the king's consciousness. They conversed upon emancipation, Sankhya, and yoga. It is said that she dwelt this one night in his person like a mendicant in an empty house. (S. Sorensen, p. 657)

These are just a few examples from the Mahabharata and the Ramayana of young, unmarried women, actively choosing to practice austerities instead choosing marriage. Madhavi had some experience of what marriage might entail, and chose the forest at her svayamvara. Somada was committed to her vows as a brahmacarini and was not interested in marriage, but wanted to have a son. Sulabha’s family was unable to find a suitable husband for her, so she wandered as a mendicant practicing yoga and discussing philosophy. Vedavati, in the Himalayan forest dressed in antelope skin and let her hair become matted, practiced austerities to obtain Vishnu as her husband.

There are examples of older women, too, as practicing ascetics. Here are some of their stories.

In the Ramayana, after Sita has been abducted, Rama and Lakshmana search for Sugriva, the monkey King, to help them and are directed to the banks of Lake Pampa.

The ascetics of the hermitage who lived there had passed away but there still lived one who served them, a mendicant woman named Shabari. Rama addressed her and said: 'Have you overcome all obstacles to asceticism, O One of gentle speech? Do your austerities increase daily? Have you subdued your anger and your need for food? O Solitary One, have you observed your vows and attained inner tranquillity? Has your attendance on your Guru borne fruit?'

The virtuous Shabari, revered by the gods, extremely aged, offered Him homage and said: 'Blessed by your presence, I have acquired perfection and my asceticism is crowned. Today my birth has borne fruit and the service of my Gurus has been fully honored. Today my pious practices have found fulfillment. O Foremost of Men, Greatest of the Celestials, worshipping you, I shall attain the heavenly realm from which no one returns.' . . .

She gave them a tour of the hermitage, showing them the wonders of the ashrama and then asked if she could take her leave. Rama experienced great delight and exclaimed: 'Wonderful it is!'

Thereafter, addressing Shabari of ascetic practices, he said: 'O Holy One, I have been fully honored by you; now go where you will and be happy.' Having received permission from Rama to depart, Shabari, wearing matted locks, robes of bark and a black antelope skin, cast herself into the fire, thereafter rising into the air like a bright flame. (Shastri, v. 2, pp. 154-158)

Later in the Ramayana, in their search for Sita, Hanuman and his army were passing through a desert and were faint with hunger and thirst. They saw a cave from which issued a variety of birds full of life. The gentle breeze that came out of it covered them with the pollen of lotus flowers and filled them with fragrance. The army concluded that there was water where the birds and perfume came from. Forming a chain with linked hands they plunged cautiously into the dense darkness of the cave with hearts full of hope, though too parched with thirst even to shout. At long last and all of a sudden, light appeared and they saw a lovely grove with streams of clear water and trees bowing under their wealth of fruit. Then they came to a city, with streets paved with jewels set in gold and great palaces beautiful as a dream. They went along and then they saw an aged tapasvini clad in robes of bark and a black antelope skin. That ascetic, given to fasting, shone with a great effulgence. They trembled before the divine splendor of her face. (Rajagopalachari, pp. 191-193) We learn that she is Svayamprabha, the daughter of Merusavarni, and she guards this dwelling belonging to her dear friend Hema, who is skilled in the arts of dancing and singing. The palace and grounds were built by Maya, the architect of the Danavas. It is a cave that no one can leave once they enter, but Svayamprabha sees that theirs is a great mission, and by her tapasya transports them out of the cave to the seashore. (Shastri, v. 2, p. 295-297)

We have another story from the Mahabharata involving Galava, whom we met a little earlier when Madhavi helped him obtain horses for his guru. Galava was riding upon Garuda when they lit on a peak of Mt. Rshabha. There they saw the brahmin woman Shandili practicing austerities. Garuda (Suparna) and Galava saluted her, and she welcomed them. They sat down on spread grass. They quickly ate cooked food, which had been consecrated with a mantra, and both fell asleep on the ground, overcome by the food.

After a while, Garuda woke up and wanted to go; then he saw that his wings had fallen off. The bird was a mere ball of flesh with a face and feet. When Galava saw him he asked sadly, 'What has happened to you? How long will we now have to stay here? Did you think some thought that hurt the Law? Surely it could not have been a trifling matter on your part!'

Garuda replied to Galava, 'I did have the notion of taking her to the seat of Prajapati, and the Great God, the eternal Vishnu, where Law and Sacrifice reside, so that she could live there too.'

To Shandili he said, 'I prostrate myself before you, my lady, and say to you that indeed I had this thought, to my grief to be sure, but it was just to do you a kindness! It was out of respect for you that I did something that displeased you. But be it well done or ill done, pray forgive me!'

Placated, she said to the king of birds and bull of brahmans, 'Fear not, you are Garuda. You slighted me, and I do not suffer slights. From this world will tumble the miscreant who slights me! Innocent of any blemishes and blameless in my ways, I have embraced strict conduct and have achieved the highest perfection. With conduct one gains Law, with conduct one gains wealth, with conduct one gains fortune; conduct defeats bad omens. Now, long-lived bird, go as you please. Never despise a woman even if she is despicable. You shall be strong and powerful as before.' Thereupon his two wings grew even larger than before, and with Shandili's leave they went as they had come. (van Buitenen, v. 3, p. 404-405)

These older female ascetics have a certain solidity about them. Svayamprabha lives alone in a cave practicing her austerities. She knows immediately the importance of Hanuman's search for Sita and does not hesitate to use her accumulated powers to help him and his army. Shabari is an old woman caring for an ashrama where everyone else has passed away. She waits to fulfill the wishes of her guru by greeting Lord Rama and His brother. Shandili lives alone on a mountain and offers a warm reception to passing strangers. She knows who they are without them telling her and chastises them for their thoughts like a strict grandmother: 'Never despise a woman even if she is despicable.'

These seven ascetics are known as brahmacharinis, tapasvinis, or sannyasinis. They lived independently or were associated with an ashram in the forest. They had matted hair, wore bark robes and black antelope skin. They were engaged in severe mortifications and were often emaciated. With the powers they gained through their austerities, they helped those who needed it. They ate what the forest provided— fruits and roots— and provided hospitality for others who were wandering through the forest. They worshipped the ancestors, their guru, Rama, or Vishnu. Despite all their hardships, they are described as effulgent and lovely with a beauty that nothing surpassed. These women lived their lives as they saw fit, doing what they thought they needed to do. While they may not have been under the protection of their father, husband, or son, they were continuously under the protection of the Supreme Man, Sri Krsna.

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